Labeling, filling, and stoppering machine.



F. COATES. LABELING, FILLING, vAND STOPPERING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED IAN. 2. |913. 1,21 1,289. Paten'd Jan. 2, l1917'.

` 2 SHEETS-SHEET l f s i n A v Q y l A L A l 1 `LABELING, FILLING, AND STOPPERING MACHlNE. APPLlfmoN msn ym. 2. |9|3 F. COATES.

wwewse@ .f immo @wma/fj' Patented Jan. 2, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

NTEU @TATE PATENT @FFQEQ FREDERICK COATES, F ROCHESTER, NEW YORK.

LABELING, FILLING, AND STOPPERING MACHINE.

'0 all whom t may concern.' y

Be 1t known that I, FREDERICK COATES, of Rochester, 1n the county of Monroe and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Labeling, Filling, and Stoppering Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to apparatusfor the labeling, filling and stoppering of bottles or other containers or packages, the term bottle as also the terni label being used herein in an illustrative and not; in a re strictive sense.

One of the prime objects ofthe invention is to provide a unitary orjganization having cooperative parts relatively yarranged and connected for handling a bottle hy a continuous series of timed operations to apply a label or the like at one vstage of operative handling. to deliver material to the bottle at another stage, and to apply a stopper or other closure element at another stage. ln carrying out my invention for these ends I preferably provide an organization wherein the same operative elements to a large extent are arranged to perform or control a pluralit)T of the described operations so that the number of operative parts and connections required is reduced to a minimum with the operating parts of an especially simple character, and. this inter-v connected arrangement also providing a relatively timed movement of parts whereby the several operating devices move in synchronism and the bottles are labeled and filled with great celerity.

ln the concrete embodiment of the invention to be described for illustrative purposes the labeling mechanism is arranged to handle the bottles before the filling and stoppering thereof and l vhave chosen as a suitable form of\ labeling. mechanism to illustrate for use as a part ofthe combinations comprising the invention, one of the general type shown in my Patent No. 1,049,996, issued January 7, 1913.

The above and other objects and features of the invention will be better understood from the following detailed \description' taken in connection with the accompanying drawings and will be thereafter pointed out in the appended claims. t

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a preferred embodiment of the invention with parts in section; Fig. 2 is a detail sectional viewl showing the stop- Specication of Letters Patent.

Application filed January 2, 1913.

Patented Jan. 2, 191?.

Serial No. 739,800.

per holding device; Fig. 8 is a plan view of the machine; Fig. 4 is a detail elevation of the pump; and Fig. 5 is a fragme'ntalv verticiil section showing the pump contrblling va ve.

The operating parts are shown as mounted on a stand or table 1 supported at a suitable height by legs 2. y end journal bearings 3 for al prime driving 'shaft 4; the stand is also provided at an intermediate point with a vertical stud 5 affording journal bearing for a lrotating table orturret 6 which transfers the bottles to filling and stoppering stations, and near its end opposite from the shaft 4 the stand has a vertical post 7 extending up some distance to afford journal bearing for a. rotating table 8 which .constitutes an essential part of the labeling mechanism. Smcein the embodiment shown the first operation is the afiixing of the labels to the bottles, the labeling mechanism will be first described, such mechanism being shown in sutiicient detail for purposes of the present case, and reference being had to my aforesaid patent for a more complete under standing thereof. The rotating table 8 has a depending sleeve 9 fitted around post 7 which holds the table at some little elevalan intermediate 11 from a gear 12 rigid with the turret 6, the turret 6 and table 8 being thus geared together and having comstepbystep movements imparted thereto. As a suitable means for imparting this intermittent movement the gear 12 has on its top face a series of pins 13 engageable by a forked extremity 14 of a pawl arm 15 pivotally carried at 16 by a slide block 17 fitted in ways on the ybed frame,

This'stand has at one the slide block 17 in turn, being recipro i cated by a bell crank lever 18 pivoted tooa pedestal on the frame work at 19 and having a roll 20 engageable in ay cam groove 21 of a cam wheel 22 fixed on shaft 4.v The pawl arm 15 is shown as of a construction whereby while its end is engaging one of the pins 13, an intermediate portion bears against the next pin as seen at 23 to lock the turret from further rotation until the pawl arm 4is withdrawn. The table 8 is `formed with a series, shown as 4, of cut out radial -slide ways 24 in which are fitted forked slide carriers 25 which are arranged for positive lin-and-out movement on the table at different parts of its rotation by having roller pins 2li at the inner end of each slide carrier working in a cam groove 2T formed in the lower face of a cani plate Q8 stationarily clamped as seen at 2f) at the top of post 7. The' forks of carriers 25 are spaced apartvfar enough to permit a bottle or other container of the maximum size to be handled b v the machine, to be pressed theretln'olurh` and each of these forks is,equipped with a yielding inwardly extending seat portion as seen at 30 on which the bottles are adapted to be placed, the Haps composing these yielding seat portions being stiff enough to hold the weight of the bottles but vielding to permit them to be pressed down past them.

By refeigence to Fig. 3 it will be seen that the cam groove 2T is so formed that at sta-- tions t and @the slide fa'rriers are projected out-ward andat a'suitable point, as shown between the stations, av glue applying device shown as Vequipped with a roll 31, is mounted in position s0 that said roll will apply glue or like\adhesive to the outwardly projecting lower d'aces of the slide carrier forks which are fr Red with flat platen surfaces 32 to receivk the adhesive. At the station to whiel the carriers progress after having their llower platen faces thus covered with adhesi 'e, a label holder 33 is mounted for vertical movement, this holder being adapted to hold a stackof labels and having a downward extending post 34 vertically guided in a column 35) rThe, label holder post 34 has connection with an operating bell crank lever 36 pivoted at 37 to the bed, this connect-ion being` yielding in an upwarddirection by` means of a spring 38 fitted around post 3ft and against `a shoulder thereof at its top, with afslip collar l39 at its bottom. y The bell cranle lever 36 is operated through a link bar 40`\and a lever -ll fulcrun'ied at 42, by a roller pin 43 in a cam slot of cam wheel 22, to move the label holder up each time a carrier is positioned thereover, to press the topmost label against the adhesive covered platen surfaces of the carrier forks to which it adheres as they label holder with the rest of the stack of labels is lowered. At the next step movement of the table the forked carrier with a label thus adhering to the platen surfaces 32 and with I a bottle on the seat flaps 30,- the bottle having been deposited either at station (L or station 5,-is moved around to station c where it is drawn in toward the center of the table by the portion 27 of cam path 27 and the bottle with the label stretched between the carrier forks beneath the same is now positioned below a presser head 'all carried by a horizontal arm 45 which is moved vertically as later described, and a yielding backing block 46 beneath, this backing block having a depending bar reirse@ 4T slidabl'v guided in a sleeve mounting if?, The construction of this backing bloei: which is vieldingly held Vupward by a until it is pressed downward when nv is held down b v a latch +7, with a cam piece 47 in position to trip said latch at the proper point, is more. fully set forth in niy aforesaid patent, and l also refer to said patent to further show the construction of wiper brushes lil which engage the lan ends while the middle of the label is grippl against the bottle by the backing block -lv to smooth the label extremities about ihe bottle as the bottle is pressed from its ser by the presser head Ll-lmoving downward and depressing the block i6. The, bottie thus resting on the backing blocks 46 ii its depressed position as held down by latch 47. the bottle being below the pllr of the table, is moved from station c to stay tion (Z where it is pressed endwise outward 'i into a chute 50` held on a bracket 5l and having a horizontal receiving portion meY ing by a curved contour into a verticai d livery portion, down whichthe bottles slid As a suitable means for pressing the bottles thus endwise outward from their seats on the blocks #i6 into the chute 50 l provide a presser piece carried at the end of a lever arm 53 pivoted at 54: in the base and having a lower extension pivotally engaged at 55 with the bar 40 so that this push out device and the label holder have a commosL actuator.

The turret 6 is provided with a serie shown as 8 of bottle receiving pockets 56? these pockets being so arranged and gear connections between the turret 6 a. A table 8. being so proportioned that with each step movement which the turret and 'table L ,-1.

. position therefrom. rl`he next step moveinen` of the turret transfers the bottle to ar fi ing station e, the side of the chute being cut away as seen at 57,to permit this bottle transfer. The open top of the bottle is now positioned adjacent to and directly beneath the discharge outlet 58 of a vertically arranged pump 59, the piston rod 60 whereof has adjustable nuts 61 engageable by a block 62 at the upper end of an upright bar 63 vertically guided in ways on the frame work. The top of bar 63 also has fined thereto the horizontal arm -lwhich operates the presser head et so that said head and the pump plunger move together' while the respective bottles beneath the same are at rest. The block 62 has frictional sliding engagement as indicated at 64- with a slotted link bar (35 which by a pivotal. connection 6G controls the turning plug valwv 67 alternately opening the inlet passage Gf? and closing the discharge passage 69 and i:

vice versa. The proper amount of turning movement of the valve plug is determined by a stop device v70 the excess movement of block 62 being permitted by the frictional connection 61, and the correct.

amount of pump piston movement for the desired discharge being determi-ned by adjustment of the nuts 61. The bar 63 is moved up and down at proper timed intervals for performing its dual functions by having a pivotal engagement at 7l With alever 7 2 pivoted to the frame Work at 73 and having a roll pin 74 engaging a cam slot in the cam Wheel 22. The bottles afterbeing filled are at the next stage of turret movement moved to st-ation f Where the Stoppers or other closures are applied. F or this purpose I provide a vertically moving plunger 75 guided in the pedestal 76 and having pivoted' link connection as at 77, 78 with an operating lever 79 shown as pivoted on the same axis 19 as the lever 18 and having a roll 80 engaging a still further cam slot in the cam Wheel Q2'. As a suitable means for holding the stoppers in position to be pressed by the plunger 75 into the bottle neck, I show a bracket arm 81 eX- tending from the pedestal support 76 With a conical seat S2 to receive the stopper and a passage 83 therefrom for the cork slightly smaller than the neck of the bottle so that as the bottom of this passage is positioned closely above the top of the bottle the cork is compressed in passing therethrough and is thus easily guided into and fitted to place in the bottle neck before it has an opportunity to expand to normal size.

"While I show herein only this singleistoppering device, in certain aspects of the invention I intend this to typify any suitable closure applying means, Whether single for merely applying Stoppers or multiple as .for applying stoppers,.tin foil caps and the llke,

and I therefore desirethis element' to be understood as merely illustrative 1n "the,V

combinations to be set forth. lAfter the filled bottles are thus stoppered by the'properly timed operation of the plunger 75 they are at the next step in the rotation of the turret brought into engagement With a discharging device Which as shovvn consists in an arm 84 having a curved extremity eX- tending over one side of the turret in position to move the bottle out of the pocket 56 on to any suitable receiving platform. It is to be observed ,that the bottles are thus automatically handled by a continuous sequence of operations for the labeling, filling and stoppering thereof Without manual intervention from the time they are placed on the table carriers of the labeling mechanism until they are discharged from the holding pockets on the turret of the filling mechanism. Further the described organi- .stoppering can all take place simultaneously Iatent is zationfis one of maximum simplicity and effectiveness by reason of the fact that the intel-geared and interconnected relation of parts in the entire machine reduces to a minimum the operative connections required, while insuring that the several cooperative parts of the machine shall operate in precisely timed relation, so that the operating movements of labeling, filling and during the dwells between the step movements of the intergeared labeling table, and filling turret as effected by the operation of their common pawl arm actuator. The delivery of the bottles from the labeling mechanlsm to the filling turret is substantially a positive and definitely timed one, for, though the bottles are guided down the chute partly under the influence ofgravity, they are also pushed positively through the chute by the pusher bar which as it pushes one bottle into the chute, causes it to press against the bottlel ahead of it if it should remain in the chute, to insure its ejection therefrom into the turret pocket.

W'hile I have herein shown What I now consider to be a preferred embodiment of the invention I am aware that numerous changes' in details of construction and rearrangements of parts can be made Without departing from the essential attributes of the invention and I therefore do not desire to be limited to the present, or any specific embodiment of the invention but refer to theJ appended claims rather than to the fore- 106 going description to indicate the scope thereof.-

Having describednlmy `invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters 105 1. A machine of the kind described, comprising label applying mechanism, consistlng in a rotatable turret adapted to receive bottles flatwise with means associated therewith for supplying labels and adhesive and 110 fitting the labels to the bottles, filling and stoppering mechanism having a turret adapted toreceive the bottles standing up, and means for transferring the labeled bottles to said second turret, said means consisting in a chute having aY horizontally eX- tendin-g receiving portion and a v'erticalfly extending delivery portion to deliver bottles upright on to seats of said second turret whereby the bottles are positioned for filling and stoppering on the second turret 2. A machine of the kind described, comprisingV a carrier ladapted to receive bottles iatwise and having means associated therewith for supplying labels and adhesive to the bottles at successive stations, a. second 4 carrier having means associated therewith for filling and stoppering the bottles, and` transfer means having provision for positive actuation to deliver the bottles from hori- 13o Zontal position on the first named carrier to upright position on the second carrier, said carriers being inter-geared for definitely timed sten-by step movement.

3. A machine of the kind described, comprising a carrier adapted to receive bottles fiatwise and having;V means associated therewith for labeling' the bottles. a second carrier having means associated therewith forA lling the bottles` and a transfer device for shifting the bottles from the first named carrierto the second carrier equipped with a positively actuated pusher for initiating` the bottle transfer, said device having a chute way terminating in a vertically eX- tending portion adapted to deliver the bottles upright to said second carrier.

4. A machine 0f the kind described, comprising two turrets. intergeared for step-bystep rotation, one at a higher elevation than the other, one of' said turrets having means associated therewith for labeling the bottles, the other turret having means associated therewith for fillingy the bottles, there being` a transfer chutebetween said turrets adapted to receive the bottles iatwise rom'the' higher turret and having a vertically eX- tending delivery portion to discharge the bottles upright on to the lower turret- 5. A machine ot' the kind described, comprising; a horizontally disposed turret hav ingv means-associated therewith for labeling bottles. a second turret at a substantiallyY lower elevation having means associated therewith for filling the bottles, said turrets beingv intergeared for definitely timed stepb v-step rotation, a curved transfer chuteI adapted to receive the horizontally disposed bottles on the first named turret and termic nating in a vertically extending@ portion in position to deliver the bottles uprighttowthe lower turret, and a positive pusher connectand aiixingr labels to bottles on said carl riers, a second turret' having seats for ceiving bottles in upright position, and w"h bottle filling means cooperative therewitt, means for movingr said turrets in timed lation with a step-by-step movement a means for automatically transferringbot* from the first turret to the second turret d ing` dwells between turret movements.

7. Aniachine of' the kind described, comprisin'gt a turret mounted for rotation ing forked bottle carriers to receive botti flatwise, with provision for in-andeout move ment on the turret, label and adhesive snpplving` and label aflixing means mounted in cooperative relation to bottles on said earriers, a second turret at a lower elevation havingseats for receiving bottles upright, means for transferring bottles from said carriers to said seats, bottle filling` means and bottle stoppering means mounted in cooperative relation tobottles carried by said second turret, said two turrets beine; in geared connection, and a common actuating means having connections to impart stepby-step movementof said turrets and other connections to actuate said label applying, said bottle filling, and said stopperingA means during dwells between turret movements.

ln testimony whereof l have affixed my signature, in presence of' two witnesses.

FREDERICK QUATRE.

lVitnesses: JOHAN ALFRED SvENssoN,

FREDERICK `W. FRENCH. 

